Legends Between Worlds
by The Mutant Rebel
Summary: An evil entity that Oogway had put to rest centuries ago is reawakening with the help of new and old enemies. Two worlds mysteriously connect and heroes join forces in order to stop the revival of this ancient darkness. KFP x TMNT crossover.
1. Unknowingly Colliding

Legends Between Worlds

Unknowingly Colliding

**Leonardo**

The first thing that registered in my mind as I came back to the conscious world was the numbing soreness that screamed throughout every fiber of my being. The dull ache that had settled deeply in my joints and muscles wasn't excruciating… but it was enough for me to understand that I must've had my shell handed to me on a silver platter not too long ago.

The second thing that registered was that I was very much alive; the pain was proof of that fact. At this point, my tired, unfocused eyes had fought their way open to the fuzzy, indistinct colors of mahogany, jade, and cream. I could faintly make out the warm, amber glow of a flickering candle somewhere beside me and the sound of light bells—maybe chimes—in the distance but that was as far as my powers of observation went at the moment.

I quickly and tightly sealed my eyes, a pounding headache made itself known not too long after I had first opened them. I groaned softly, lifting one of my arms and draping it over my forehead as if the act would alleviate the pain somehow.

Hmm…

How did I end up here anyway… and, more importantly, where was I? I could tell that I wasn't being held against my will—these new surroundings were way too serene to be counted as a holding cell. I hadn't been bound or gagged in anyway and the room didn't look locked or blocked off from the outside. As a matter of fact…

I opened my eyes again, my vision became clearer while I glanced to my side carefully. The room looked very similar to Master Splinter's meditation room; there were rice paper panels that served as dividing walls between neighboring rooms and there was the distinct smell of jasmine and sandalwood lingering pleasantly in the air. Despite these familiar qualities, there were still slight but prominent differences that made it obvious that this wasn't my father's room.

… Which brought me back to the question at hand: Where was I and how did I get here? Ugh! What had happened to me? The last thing I remembered was going through a topside training run with Raph and—

Raph!

My eyes widened with a sharp gasp before my body shot up and into an attentive sitting position. I realized then that I had been resting on a cot and that a thick blanket had been draped over me considerately. Within the span of a couple of seconds, a nearly nauseating dizziness swept over me but I curtly ignored it as I glance around the room, hoping that my little brother was somewhere in my range of view.

He wasn't…

… And neither were my weapons…

A sense of dread settled deep within my stomach, tugging at my brotherly instincts and igniting my sense of survival. Had we been attacked and, therefore, separated at some point? If that was the case, then who had attacked us and why? It couldn't have been the Foot—the Shredder was long gone, effectively demoting them to 'ninjas for hire'. It couldn't have been the Purple Dragons—they didn't have the skills, means, or intelligence to overcome either of us.

So… so who had attacked us?

…Ugh! Whatever; it didn't matter. What I needed to do now was find Raph… and fast.

I huffed out a silent breath, focusing momentarily on willing away the dull ache in my muscles and the burning in my nerves before I pushed the blanket off, plant my feet on the floor beside the cot. I found myself standing in one moment and soundlessly sliding the door open in the next. I needed to be discreet in this new, unknown place; I didn't know who else was lurking about other than myself so being invisible was the most favorable option.

I peaked out into the narrow hallway, happy to find that it was deserted. I wasted no time; I sprinted with noiseless footfalls upon the wooden floor, moving on the balls of my feet towards, what I assumed, was the exit. When I saw what was on the other side of the door leading to an unknown outside, I nearly fell over with shock.

Alright, I was definitely not in New York anymore.

Instead of the overpowering rankness and uncomfortable humidity of the sewers, there was clean, cool air and open, cloudless skies that had dimmed with the approach of nightfall. My feet landed upon smooth cobblestone and textured earth; a refreshing change from the abrasive feel of city concrete. The whole place looked serene and, oddly, inspiring… although it looked like something that had came straight out of an ancient Chinese text or an authentic Kung Fu movie. I couldn't help but gawk a little, unable to believe what my senses had perceived.

"Ah, I can see that you are awake."

An unknown voice sounded off beside me suddenly, jolting me out of my momentary stupor of amazement. I clumsily stumbled away, my aching body loudly protested as I swiftly took on a defensive stance. I aimed a heated glare at the stranger before me, hiding my shock well when I noticed that he wasn't quite… human.

Wise steel blue eyes looked up at me with a mixture of surprise, curiosity, and authority, his small form—standing no taller than my kneecap, actually—leaned mildly against a tall staff three times his height. I… couldn't tell what he was exactly but I did know that he was an animal of some kind… with big ears and… a stripped tail… damn, I should've listened to Don during his rants about the animal kingdom…

"You shouldn't be moving so fast just yet, young warrior. You are still recovering from your injuries."

Yeah, no kidding…

I brushed off his concerns, my glare sharpening ever so slightly, "What have you done with my brother? Where is he?"

One of his ivory white ears twitched before both of them shifted from the sides of his face to the front, as if they had been the last part of him to give their full attention, "The other turtle, you mean? He's in the infirmary."

My heart began to beat a mile a minute, my stance dropping slightly as his words resonated within my head. How seriously was Raph hurt if he needed to be tended to in an infirmary?

When I didn't reply back right away, he explained further, probably seeing the worry and question in my face in regards to the health of my brother, "You're brother is fine. You both had suffered from temporary paralysis. He, however, had also sustained a dislocated shoulder and heavy bruising. You were a bit better off then he was," He gave me a small smile of reassurance, "All he needs is some rest and, perhaps, some acupuncture… if he is willing, that is."

I couldn't help but sigh out loudly with relief, my defense dropping almost completely, "Good… that's good."

The nameless creature… man… person nodded his head with understanding before chuckling deeply, "You must be the oldest brother."

… Was I that obvious?

"What is you name, young warrior?"

I sighed, standing up straight, wincing slightly when a swift eruption of pain vibrated violently throughout my nerves, "L-leonardo."

"Leonardo?" He said, stroking his beard, his bright eyes staring up at me with curiosity, "Hmm… an interesting name… but, no matter, I am Shifu," He bowed his head respectfully, "Welcome to the Jade Palace. You may recover here in safety if you wish."

I smiled weakly, quietly wondering if Shifu- a word I believe translated into 'teacher'- was his actual name. I didn't question it though; this man was kind enough to provide me and my brother with hospitality and shelter. Besides, it was in my best interest to stay and heal in a location where I was openly welcomed. I didn't know where I was so it was best to stay in a location where I was openly welcomed. I wouldn't be surprised if we had somehow ended up in another dimension… How we ended up in said dimension, however, was far more worrisome at the moment.

I bowed my head in response, smiling gratefully, "Thank you for your kindness. Is it alright if I see my brother?"

"Of course," He nodded, turning on his heels before walking in the direction of another nearby building, "Come with me."

**Tigress**

I watched with silent suspicion as Viper tended to the nameless turtle. I stood at the foot of his infirmary cot, my arms crossed as an unsettling mixture of curiosity and caution whirled around restlessly in my head. I understand why she felt the need to help tending to our two, rather abruptly introduced guests: she was kind and always willing to help those who were hurt or in need, even if they were complete strangers. I, however, wasn't so open with my kindness; I wasn't as trusting.

Viper was very much like Po in that aspect of her character but-also like Po- it was her undoing. We didn't know who these warriors were, where they came from or- more pressing in this situation- how they got within the walls of the Valley without being spotted by a single villager. It was like they had just… appeared on the doorsteps of the Jade Palace. Not only that, but with weapons. Those facts, alone, should've warranted some kind of suspicion or skepticism towards their intentions.

…

But… I suppose it couldn't be helped. It wasn't like we could press them for answers in the state they were currently in. What other choice did we have but to help them? Despite the mystery behind how they came to be in the Valley of Peace or the grounds of the Palace, their health was more prudent … for now, anyway.

Viper, after propping the turtle's head and injured arm a little more with another layer of cushions, carefully undid the knot of his crimson mask and pulled it away with a gracefully, considerate tug of her tail.

After a few seconds of starring at his uncovered face, she titled her head to the side thoughtful, "Huh…"

"What...?" I asked, taking a step to Viper in order to catch something she might of seen in his unveiled face.

After a few seconds of silence, she turned her heard towards me, her trademark serpentine grin spread slowly across her lips, "He's kind of cute."

I felt my face fall into a dull expression involuntarily, "Viper…"

Her eyes widened innocently, "What? Its just an observation."

I narrowed my eyes half-heartedly at her, "Be a bit more serious, please."

"I am! He's one handsome looking turtle… in a tough, grungy kind of way."

I shook my head, pinching the bridge of my nose in between my index finger and thumb, "Attractive or not, his and the other's intensions are more important right now."

She sighed, relaxing her body so that she could slither away from the cot and towards me, coiling up into a stationary position by my feet, "I know… but they seem to be good people. Did you see how protective and pleading the other was towards his friend here? He was fighting through his paralysis to get them both to the Palace."

"It could've been staged," I retorted, my arms crossing over my chest once again.

"_Or_ they could've been attack on their way here," She defended, tilting her head to the side, her head ornaments shifted with the motion, "You know why Oogway made the Valley of Peace: so that people of all sorts could come here for a peaceful life… that is including other warriors."

I sighed roughly, "If that is the case then why were they attacked in the first place?" I questioned before sighing, turning my eyes back to the unconscious turtle, "There are too many unanswered questions here, Viper. Until we know exactly who they are and where they came from, we should not drop our guard around them."

"… Guilty until proven innocent then?"

"Exactly," I didn't even hesitate with my response.

Viper chuckled, "I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

Before I could comment on her statement, the sound of my master's voice resounded behind me. Both Viper and I turned to the doorway of the infirmary to see my adoptive father… as well as the turtle in blue making their way towards us. He limped as swiftly as he could towards us while my master walked beside him at a slow pace, as if to provide assistance if the outsider were to fall or stumble. I frowned slightly; why was Master Shifu being so trusting of this person?

Wise, grey eyes stared back at me through an ocean blue mask when I finally decided to look this stranger in the face. He seemed to regard me with wonder and curiosity before he politely bowed his head, a small smile etched itself onto his lips, "Thank you for watching over my brother, as well as providing us with hospitality. You have my deepest thanks."

I stared at him reflectively before returning his words with a curt but polite nod. Viper, however, was bit more vocal. She smiled sweetly up at him, slithering closer and craning the top of her body upward so that she could get a better look at him, "No thanks needed. We're just glad that your injuries weren't that serious."

He gave her the same look of wonderment that he had given me- had he never seen women of our species before? After a brief moment of hesitation, his smile became more warm, reflecting Viper's, "That's good to hear. Again, thank you."

"Leonardo, these are two of my students," Shifu said, gesturing towards us, "Master Tigress and Master Viper."

My fist met my opposite palm as I bowed at the waist, Viper simply bowed her head deeply and respectfully upon Shifu's introduction.

"Masters? Masters of what?"

I couldn't help but stare openly at him. Was this boy seriously asking such a question?

Master Shifu humored him although he also looked a little confused, "Masters of Kung Fu. All the occupants of the Jade Palace are skillfully trained martial artists. Each one masters of their own unique style."

He made a sound of clarification, dipping his chin curtly with understanding, "I see. That's quite impressive."

"… Where are you from?" I found myself asking the question before I could stop myself, my suspicion winning over my silent decorum. Master Shifu flashed a look of caution in my direction but I promptly ignored it. I knew he wanted to ask the same question.

The turtle, Leonardo, stared at me with mildly startled eyes before he smile at me in a _seemingly_ innocent manner, "I'm from no where around here."

… Oh, this turtle was _good_.

I glared half-heartedly at him, my stance became mildly defensive, "Please do not take offense but if you are going to stay here, under the protection of the Jade Palace, we must know who we are providing our hospitality to. For all we know, you and your friend could be wanted criminals or fugitives-"

"Tigress, not now…," Viper whispered in a low, sing-song tone but I ignored her. I took several steps towards him, until there was only a foot between our noses. I found it odd that he was standing his ground towards my advances. One who was not fully trained in the art of fighting would have become defensive, protective, or- at the very least- broke eye contact. He stood firm, staying cool, accepting the challenge in my approach without so much as a second thought. He was either very foolish… or well trained.

I continued without a hitch "- So I would suggest that you, at the very least, give us an inkling as to where you had came from."

Without missing a beat, he responded, his voice steady and unwavering. It upset me that not even his face gave away his hidden feeling to my approach. It made me greatly uneasy…

"I believe that me and my brother have a right to our own privacy, Master Tigress," His eye eyes hardened but besides that, nothing else in his expression was readable, "But I can assure you that we are not criminals, nor do we mean you any harm. We are just two warriors that wish to get back home. Nothing more."

… This turtle was _really_ good.

… That, and I was starting to not like him very much.

"Tigress, that is enough," Master Shifu said just above his neutral voice, warning me to pull back the intensity in my approach. I found this very odd for my teacher and father to do. Usually, he would side with me, especially in a situation like this, but now he was silently scolding me. _Why_ though?, "Return to you training until dinner. The same goes for you Viper."

Viper dipped her head with acknowledgement, "Yes Master."

I hesitated, "But Master, I-"

"Do not argue with me, Tigress," He said firmly, looking at me pointedly, "To the training hall. Now."

I swallowed my words and my pride with a great deal of effort. I gave the turtle, Leonardo, a quick but thorough once over before I dipped by chin towards Shifu reluctantly, "Yes… Master."

And with that, I sauntered out of the infirmary at a swift, fluid pace, breathing deeply in order to control my growing aggravation. Viper slithered closely behind me, sensing my boiling anger.

I really hoped Po was training now. He was the only one that would willing spar with me when I was like this…

**A/N**: So, what do you think? I had to do a a hell of a lot of research in order to feel comfortable with posting this story. I'm comfortably a TMNT fanfic writer… but KFP? The world is so large and the info is so vast, I didn't want to miss anything or over look something that would piss of a KFP fan.

Read and review please and tell me what you think.


	2. The Outsiders PT1

Legends Between Worlds

The Outsiders PT1

**Po**

Okay…

So, I knew that a warrior's usual life span is pretty short and all but I didn't expect to go out like _this_.

An army of raiders or bandits on a off day? M'kay, I can see it.

Fighting another evil nemesis hellbent on destroying and/or taking over China again? More than likely.

Getting hit by a white hot cannonball hurtling directly at me at a nearly impossible speed? Eh, lived through it.

Loosing an epic battle with my very first rival, Tai Lung? That would've totally sucked but… it was likely possibility.

…

But sparring with my best friend and childhood hero, who- might I add- seems determined to claw my face off in the most violent way she could possible manage? Highly unlikely, right?

Guess again…

I dodged a furious combination of fast swipes, powerful jabs and piercing kicks with as much speed as Tigress was dishing out. Sure, her strikes looked simple but everyone who knew Master Tigress understood how lethal a full on hit from her could be… especially if she was fighting at full strength.

And judging by how angry she was, I'm pretty sure she was fighting at 100% today.

… (*whine* I don't wanna die ;o;)

I gasped, my eyes jumping up to follow her as she leaped high into the air. She descended heel first, attempting to land a powerful leaping axe kick down on my head. I reacted automatically, my forearm came up to take the impact of the blow before I fluidly turned the block into a counter, grabbing her ankle with the same hand. She released a surprised breath before I began to spin her, gaining as much momentum as possible before I released her, throwing her halfway across the room. She regained herself quickly, twisting her body in midair before landing gracefully on her two back paws.

… Okay, I was gawking. I knew I was but you would be too if you could see her in action! Ah! So frickin' _sweet_… *clears throat* O-kay, getting out of fanboy mode. Heh, sorry about that-

"Po, focus," I heard her say just below a shout. Man, did I really throw her that far?

I cleared my throat, regaining my stance before laughing nervously, "R-right. Sorry."

She gave me a small smile but it quickly vanished when she regained the distance that had been between us within the span of two seconds. She shout out towards me again, her flying fists and pouncing feet at the ready. Her arms and legs were coming at me so fast, I could see nothing but blurs of orange and black from different angles. I'm… not sure how I was able to block and dodge them all; hmm… must be a Dragon Warrior thing… or maybe an inner peace thing?

I grunted when a blow- a sharp jab- met my shoulder, just barely missing a pressure point. I didn't let the shock distract me for too long though. I saw an opening when she attempted to send a double punch to my stomach and chest. I caught both of her fists within my palms easily, a brief look of surprise flashed over her face before I flipped her over my shoulder effortlessly. She released a rough, hiccuped breath when her back hit the floor, hard.

I blinked; I won? That… that was weird. It was usually a tie. Huh… well, at least I didn't die… so I still have a chance to go out with a bang!

"Tigress!" I spun around, looking down at her with wide eyes, "A-are you okay?"

She paused, staring up at me with an odd look. I couldn't tell if she was mad at me or just as confused as I was, "I'm… not sure."

I started to panic, "Aw man. Did I break something? I-I'm so sorry Tigress I… y-you were just coming at me with those lighting fast fury kicks a-and I just… I mean, I don't know, I just-"

She sighed but remained laid out on the floor, her crimson eyes looked up at me evenly, "It's alright Po. You didn't hurt me. You've gotten a lot better though. It seems that inner peace is working well for you."

"Uh… huh," I agreed hesitantly as she slowly sat up, folding her legs while her tail curled back and forth thoughtfully. I watched it for a short while, distracted, before I shook my head to clear my thoughts, "Tigress, is… is something up?"

She wasn't facing me but I had a feeling that she was frowning, "No. Nothing at all."

"… Are you sure?" I asked hesitantly, taking a slight step towards her. Her tail continued to swish back and forth, something I noticed she does whenever she's in deep thought. If so, what was the problem? She wasn't like this a couple of hours ago so-

"…No," She finally said. The reply was so lowly that I almost didn't hear her, "As a matter of fact, I am greatly perturbed."

"Per… per-… wha?"

She sighed, turning her head slightly to look at me from the corner of her eye, "I am troubled, Po. Everything that's happened in the last day has been more suspicious than settling and-" She look at me for a quiet moment before she turned to look forward again, "… and I don't like it."

I paused for a minute, rotating the aching shoulder that she had hit before walking over and sitting directly beside her. She didn't look up at me or even acknowledge that I was in her personal space; it didn't seem to bother her and I was okay with that. I really didn't feel like nursing any more bruises, thank you very much.

I cleared my throat lightly, fiddling with my fingers, "Well… what do you mean? I mean, are you talking about those turtles or-"

She nodded her head, "Yes, they are a bigger part of my worry but they are merely a larger fragment of it."

She paused, looking down at the floor for a moment before slowly looking up at me, her body turning towards me a little, "Did you not notice how… _off_ yesterday was? Before _they_ showed up at the palace?"

My eyes rolled up to the ceiling, watching the Seven Talon Rings swing and creak, I rubbed my chin, "Hmmm… well, Shifu did tell us to take a break- which I think was waaaay overdue anyway- and-"

"See, that's my point, Po. Master Shifu never gives us breaks. The only time he ever does is when he's troubled by something or when he receives an urgent message from Zeng."

I looked back down at her, raising an eyebrow, "Yeah but Zeng didn't stop by yesterday."

"Or maybe he did and we weren't aware," She flexed her paws, cracking her knuckles, "Perhaps a messenger of another kind stopped by? Or… maybe he had came into a bothersome revelation during his morning meditation; it has happened before…"

"Yeaaaaah… or he might've _actually_ thought that we needed the rest," I said, trying to get rid of her worries, "I mean, we've been training nonstop since Shen tried to take over China a couple of months ago. Everyone's been running on empty for the past few days. Maybe he just wants us at our best before we start training again."

"Less likely than not," She said quickly, mirroring my raised eyebrow, "It's not just that though. It's how he's been acting… especially since the arrival of those turtles."

I blinked, "How's he been acting?"

She crossed her arms over her chest, "Don't tell me you haven't noticed."

I smiled sheepishly at her, "I… I'm asking, aren't I?"

She shook her head, chuckling before she continued to explain, "Shifu has never been this… trusting towards strangers staying in the Jade Palace before. He even keeps an eye on old friends that come to visit. He should've been trying to drive answers out of them since the very moment that one of them woke up… instead, he _humors_ them. I just… I don't understand."

I rubbed my chin, my claw racking through my fur as I thought about what she was saying. Then, it hit me, "Well… could it have something to do with them being turtles?"

She paused, looking at me as if I had grown another arm, "How does their race have anything to do with how Shifu's acting?"

"Aren't turtles supposed to be these super sacred, awesomely rare beings? like, they are the stuff of legend? Pfft, not even- the stuff of stuff that legends are made of?"

"Not… quite how you've put it but yes. Yes, I believe so."

"And Oogway was Shifu's master and friend so… maybe seeing them-"

"Brought back memories?" She finished, her eyes perked up suddenly.

I grinned, "Yeah. I mean, Shifu isn't really good at hiding that he misses him. Maybe these turtles remind him of Oogway."

She was quiet for a couple of seconds before she hummed, rubbing her chin, "I… never thought of it that way."

I shrugged, "Just a wild guess."

"It may be but it's a good one," She nodded, shooting me a small smile, "With inner peace come brains too, hm?"

… I tried not to pout but I failed, "… What's that supposed to- Oh! Did one of them wake up already?"

She blinked at me, surprised by my quick change of subject, "Why do you ask all of the sudden?"

"Well, you said that Master Shifu was acting differently around them."

"Ah, yes, well… one of them has regained consciousness. The one in the blue mask. Leonardo, if I recall correctly."

…

"…What's a Leonardo?"

"That's his name," She clarified, sending me a understanding look.

"… His name is _Leonardo_?"

"Yes. Peculiar, yes?"

"Yeah, a bit. I thought you had sneezed for a second there."

She laughed lightly, shaking her head at me, "He verified that he and his brother are foreigners… he had just decided to keep his place of origin confidential… another thing that worries me greatly."

"Aww, Tigress you're worrying too much. I'm sure that Master Shifu would've sensed something evil about them if they meant to hurt us or take something from the palace. Shifu wouldn't let his feelings get in the way of his or our safety."

She sighed, clenching and unclenching her fist, "I know but… I can't help it. I just have a bad feeling."

I stared at her for a moment or two, hating that the worry in her face only seemed to become more noticeable. I didn't like to see Tigress like this; my best friend senses were tingling like crazy but… I didn't know what else to say or do to get that look to go away. Heh… it seemed like my stomach knew how to take care of that.

… Gggggrrrrraaaaggelllll

Her eyes shifted from her fists, to my face and, finally, to my stomach. One of her eyebrows rose and the corner of her mouth lifted into a half smile, "It would seem that the Dragon Warrior's legendary belly is in need of sustenance."

I blushed; it wasn't… quite what I had wanted to do but it distracted her. I rubbed my stomach, pouting when it growled again, "I should've eaten those dumplings that Monkey couldn't finish for lunch today…"

A/N: Sorry for the delay on this as well as the shortness. This was actually finished for a while now but I was trying to add more onto this but a friend of mine said to not force the chapters to be longer if the ending is ok and doesn't to need improvement. What do you think? Either way, gonna start writing the next chapter soon


	3. The Outsiders PT2

**Usagi**

The travel to the Valley of Peace was a long one but it was worth it in the end. Upon walking through the last patch of bamboo forest and pushing aside the stray branches that blocked my view, I found myself looking upon a village colored beautifully by the warmth of the sun and adorned with the airs of tranquility. Conversation and laughter greeted my ears as I walked through the town's tall entrance way, much like when one entered their family home during a festive gathering. There aren't many places like this in Japan... and the ones that are are well hidden and known to only a small few.

I must have been staring in wonderment for quite some time because, before I knew it, a slight tug the leg of my hakama (1) alerted me that someone smaller in stature wanted my attention. I glanced down immediately. A fully grown female rabbit- I could tell by the wise eyes and fully developed face- that stood a few inches above my knee looked back up at me with a gaze of fascination and curiosity. I definitely wasn't in Japan anymore; I never knew my own race could be so small in build...

"Hello there traveller," She started sweetly, lifting up a basket full of freshly picked apples for me to see, "May I interest you in a free sample? They're the best apples in the Valley."

"Um... no thank you. I-" I started but she cut me off before I could finish further.

"Perhaps some direction then? You don't seem like you're from around here, dear."

I blinked, laughing nervously while adjusting the kasa(2) that rested snuggly on my head, "Is it that obvious?"

"I'm afraid so, yes," She chuckled, "It's not often we get travelers from other lands. Even so, we welcome ever new comer looking for a quiet life with open arms."

I smiled at her kind tone, "Thank you very much."

"Are you looking for the Jade Palace?"

I blinked again; this woman was very observant for a humble street merchant, "Um... yes, actually. How did you know?"

"It's not that hard to guess. You look like a warrior- a kind one at that. Normally, warriors that come to our village with peaceful intent seek it out for instruction. Sometimes, they are looking for refuge. Most times, they are summoned. Would you like me to point you in the right direction?"

"Yes, please."

She nodded, turning around and pointing one of her tiny fingers down the intricate tiled pathways before me, "After you hit the end of this path, make a left and you should see the steps leading up to the palace. You can't miss them."

"I see," I said, bowing my head respectfully to her, stating my thanks before I made my way to my final destination.

She was spot on, of course. I was a warrior seeking out the Jade Palace... but not for teaching in the martial arts, nor for sanctuary; I had been called here.

Normally, I don't repsond to summon from foreign lands. After all, why would I travel overseas and miles away from my home to come to an unfamiliar and uncertain land?

But this one... this one was different.

As I continued to move forward, I reached into my travel bag and pulled out worn, carefully folded piece of parchment paper; one can tell that it had seen many days of cross-sea travel. Within the crinkles and folds of the parchment resided a letter, written to me, specifically asking for my presence and my aid at the Jade Palace. All that aside, it was the name of the sender that startled me the most.

The paper in my hands felt physically weighted with the accomplishments that that name held... for EVERYONE all throughout Asia. How could I possibly decline? It was an honor after all. That name was the neatly added acknowledgement needed to ensure that I would come to China.

I suddenly stopped, realizing that I had reached the foot of the seemingly endless set of stone stairs that apple vendor was talking about.

...

Heh. That woman had failed to mention that the palace was at the top of a 10,000 foot mountain. Then again, all the locals here were probably used to the journey to the top.

... I hung my head.

I suppose the journey wasn't quite over yet...

**Raphael**

"Ugh... why...?" I groaned in pain, my eyes opening up slowly only to find myself staring at a very unfamiliar ceiling... and where else could I look anyway? Everything else seemed to hurt too much to move. Hell, I think even my shell had bruises.

Just as my vision began to adjust and I tried to get a grip on my surroundings- not matter how small of it grip it was- a cool cloth came down on my face gently, dabbing carefully. Huh... someone was in the room with me and, luckily, it seemed like it was someone who didn't want me dead... but, based on the condition I was in, someone else had probably tried and damn near succeeded.

God, what the hell happened? Was I jumped? If that's the case, I hope the other guy was breathing out of a damn tube...

"Welcome back to the land of the living."

Huh? That voice sounded familiar. Very familiar actually.

"... Leo?" I croaked, attempting to turn my head towards the sound of my brother's voice but, instead, I ended up regretting it. A sharp pain shot up my neck like lightning, quickly stopping me and causing me to strangle out a grunt. I shut my eyes tightly, waiting for the suddenly pain to go away. Man, I haven't been this badly injured since the last time I took on the Shredder with Leo, Mike, and Donnie.

"Don't move. Your injuries were sustained from being severely paralyzed. Your pressure points were attacked. Luckily, the people that took us in were able to reverse it."

"Well...," I croaked out hoarsely, hating the sound of my own voice, "Least I'm alive."

"Yeah..." He sighed, worry obviously in his voice. Heh, mother hen.

After a few seconds, allowing the waves of pain to fully subside, my eyes slowly opened again. My momentarily blurred vision was able to catch a blob of blue and light green leaning in close to my face. When I was able to see better, those blotches of color became more focused. I was able to make out my brother's narrow eyes that always seemed to shake you up, no matter how confident you thought you were. His face, although obviously recognizable, was bruised a bit; two purplish areas stood out the most to me. They were swollen, slightly throwing of the symmetry of his face. His lip was busted too; damn, someone must have gotten a few decent punches in on his face.

Now, I don't know many who are able to land a blow on Splinter Jr. over here- let alone his face- but whoever did this to him really gave him a run for his money.

"... Ya look like hell...," I croaked again, offering a half-hearted smirk.

He shook his head down at me, chuckling, "If I look like hell, then you must look like death warmed over."

"Feelin' like it," I coughed out a laugh, "Where the hell are me anyway? What happened ta us?"

He shrugged, "I'm not entirely sure where we are... I know we somehow ended up in a different dimension. If I were to guess which one, based on those who saved us, I'd say Second Earth."

"Ya mean where that rabbit is?"

He gave me a dull expression, "Usagi, Raph. We've known him for five years now. Take some effort into remembering his name."

"Yeah, whateva."

He rolled his eyes, "As for what happened to us, I'm... not entirely sure. All I know is that we were attacked. I take it that you don't remember anything either."

"Nah. Just a whole lot-a hurt," I grimaced, feeling another twinge of pain from inhaling too much. God, it felt like my ribcage was getting ready to crack open...

"I've been meditating on it for a while but, so far, I've been coming up empty. So far, I can only gather that we didn't forget due to a beating or because of trauma. We've dealt with way worse and we've been able to recall every detail like it happened yesterday."

"Okay... so what's different about this?"

"Well, I think-" He paused suddenly, narrowing his eyes before suspiciously glancing over his shoulder. I couldn't see what he was looking at but I did know what that look meant: someone was listening in on us.

He turned back to look down at me before continuing on, this time in Japanese, "_**I think someone locked our recollection of that night away."**_

I blinked, a bit confused as I put together my words to answer. I wasn't an expert at speaking the language, like Splinter Jr. over here, but I could keep up, "Uh... W- ahem...- _**W-what do you mean locked away?**_"

I still got it.

Leo smiled, glad that I got when he was going, "_**Someone doesn't want us to remember... at least for the time being. Everytime I try, I feel blocked, restricted.**_"

"_**So... someone messed with our heads or somethin'?**_" I growled out, feeling my blood boiling for a fight, despite the fact that I couldn't really DO anything at the moment.

"_**Yes, that's what I am saying**_," He sighed, "_**I have a feeling that whoever it was wanted us to end up here for some reason or another. Whatever that reason may be- or even if it's a malicious reason or not- is a mystery.**_"

It took me a moment to get everything he said. He was talking a little too fast for me... the showoff, "Wa..._**Was it the person who attacked us**_?"

He paused for a moment before shaking his head, shrugging at the same time, "_**I'm not too sure. All I know for sure is that we are stuck here... I just wish there was someway we could tell Master Splinter and the others where we were. We would have get in contact with the Ultimate Daimyo.**_"

"_**Ya can't do that?**_"

"_**I could but it would be a bit risky. As you can probably gather, we aren't entirely trusted here. I don't blame them, of course, but it makes things a little difficult.**_"

"_**Yeah...**_"

"_**If I can slip out without being noticed long enough to send a message to the Daimyo, then that should work.**_"

I gave Splinter Jr a confident grin... although it was kind of a pained one, "_**Sounds like a plan**_."

He nodded, leaning out of my range of sight. He dropped the Japanese; I guess the eavesdropper must've taken their leave already, "You should get some rest Raph. You really do look like an inch from death's door right now."

I chuckled but then I abruptly stop when I ended up stretching something I shouldn't have as a result, "Y-your bein' dramatic, Fearless. I'm probably a _foot_ away from death's door. Don't get it twisted."

"... Not funny Raph."

**A/N**: Hey everyone. The next chapter is in the making. I hope you like this installment. Next chapter will be the third part to The Outsiders and then we can finally get along with the story. I could apologize for the delay but my life has been a bit drama, hectic, scattered, and roller-coastery so all I can say is that I will do my best to stay on top of this. Talk to you guys later and have a good day.


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